Chris Rock Calls Out Hollywood at Oscars

Comedian Chris Rock hosting the Oscars last night opened with, “I’m here at the Academy Awards, otherwise known as the White People’s Choice Awards,” setting the tone for the rest of his monologue.

In the middle of the #OscarsSoWhite controversy, although he was pressured to boycott and quit the event, Chris Rock instead chose to confront the issues head on through his comedy at the awards ceremony.

Referring to the ongoing racial tensions within the U.S. he joked, “Things are going to be a little different at the Oscars. This year, in the In Memoriam package, it’s just going to be black people that were shot by the cops on their way to the movies.”

The main “question” of the night however was “Is Hollywood racist?” and Rock attacked the industry directly, declaring “You’re damn right Hollywood is racist. But it ain’t that racist that you’ve grown accustomed to. Hollywood is sorority racist. It’s like, ‘We like you Rhonda, but you’re not a Kappa.’”

The problem in Hollywood is that the industry is not outwardly racist, and prior to this controversy whitewashing in films and awards ceremonies has been overlooked.

Rock suggested specific categories for minorities at awards ceremonies, put forward that the solution to the systematic racism is equal opportunity starting in the beginning processes for making films and television shows, “We want opportunity – give black actors the same opportunities as white actors.”

Original story: http://www.theguardian.com/film/2016/feb/29/chris-rock-at-the-oscars-you...

Mary Schlichte